How Personal Injury Compensation Is Calculated
Possibly the biggest question you will have when thinking about claiming compensation for personal injuries is just how much you could be awarded.
Because each claim is different there are no set amounts for particular injuries, instead the amount of compensation awarded will depend on various factors being taken into consideration.
The factors considered range from the injuries sustained, to the level of liability and the amount of fault attributed.
It is important to note that injuries are not just physical afflictions, but also include mental and emotional trauma, change of lifestyle and loss of earnings.
In turn these injuries maybe subdivided into economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages will include the injuries sustained, medical costs and ongoing care, whilst non-economic damages will cover things like disability, disfigurement and suffering due to injuries.
In calculating the amount of compensation you are entitled to a personal injury lawyer will begin by looking at the economic damages first.
The figure calculated from these will be the basis upon which your claim will be made.
You will be asked to submit figures pertaining to the amount of lost earnings since the accident, the cost of medical treatment and any future care costs.
It is important to include any sum that you may have had to incur as a result of the accident which resulted in your injuries.
In most instances a sliding scale of one to ten is used according to the severity of injuries sustained and any non-economic costs.
The number arrived at is then multiplied by the figure calculated for economic damages to arrive at a sum for non-economic compensation.
This is the formula often applied by loss adjusters working for insurance companies however the court may rely on other methods including the decisions of judge and jury or the judgement passed on similar previous cases.
If a claim is to be deemed viable however, then both you and your personal injury lawyer will need to determine if the potential compensation awarded will be well in excess of the costs of bringing the claim, including court fees.
This is one of the key reasons why it is important to consult with a lawyer before making a claim as it is the only reliable way of knowing if the compensation is worth claiming for.
So in answering your question about how much compensation you could expect to receive, you can only really discover the answer by consulting with an experienced Maryland personal injury lawyer before you take steps towards making a claim.
Only then will you know if a) your claim will be viable and b) if it will result in an award for damages the will far outweigh the legal costs involved.
Because each claim is different there are no set amounts for particular injuries, instead the amount of compensation awarded will depend on various factors being taken into consideration.
The factors considered range from the injuries sustained, to the level of liability and the amount of fault attributed.
It is important to note that injuries are not just physical afflictions, but also include mental and emotional trauma, change of lifestyle and loss of earnings.
In turn these injuries maybe subdivided into economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages will include the injuries sustained, medical costs and ongoing care, whilst non-economic damages will cover things like disability, disfigurement and suffering due to injuries.
In calculating the amount of compensation you are entitled to a personal injury lawyer will begin by looking at the economic damages first.
The figure calculated from these will be the basis upon which your claim will be made.
You will be asked to submit figures pertaining to the amount of lost earnings since the accident, the cost of medical treatment and any future care costs.
It is important to include any sum that you may have had to incur as a result of the accident which resulted in your injuries.
In most instances a sliding scale of one to ten is used according to the severity of injuries sustained and any non-economic costs.
The number arrived at is then multiplied by the figure calculated for economic damages to arrive at a sum for non-economic compensation.
This is the formula often applied by loss adjusters working for insurance companies however the court may rely on other methods including the decisions of judge and jury or the judgement passed on similar previous cases.
If a claim is to be deemed viable however, then both you and your personal injury lawyer will need to determine if the potential compensation awarded will be well in excess of the costs of bringing the claim, including court fees.
This is one of the key reasons why it is important to consult with a lawyer before making a claim as it is the only reliable way of knowing if the compensation is worth claiming for.
So in answering your question about how much compensation you could expect to receive, you can only really discover the answer by consulting with an experienced Maryland personal injury lawyer before you take steps towards making a claim.
Only then will you know if a) your claim will be viable and b) if it will result in an award for damages the will far outweigh the legal costs involved.
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